Reconciling access to information and political party funding in Malawi: a comparative analysis of legislation
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-07-2021-0115 |
| Published date | 11 October 2021 |
| Date | 11 October 2021 |
| Pages | 916-927 |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Information behaviour & retrieval,Information in society,Information literacy,Library & information services |
| Author | Patrick Mapulanga,Dorothy Doreen Eneya,Diston Store Chiweza |
Reconciling access to information
and political party funding in Malawi:
a comparative analysis of legislation
Patrick Mapulanga
Library Department, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Lilongwe, Malawi
Dorothy Doreen Eneya
Library Department, Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences,
Blantyre, Malawi, and
Diston Store Chiweza
Library Department, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper was to assess the similarities and differences between the Political
Parties and the Access to InformationActs in Malawi. While political parties are largely fundedby donations
that are frequently kept as a secret, the Access to Information Act does not include political party funding
among the categoriesof non-disclosed information.
Design/methodology/approach –This paper is based on the qualitative content analysis of the
legislation in Malawi. Contentanalysis of the two pieces of legislation was adopted. This paper is a review of
the literatureand an examinationof Malawi’s Political Parties and Accessto Information Acts. The document
study wassupplemented by a review of related literatureon the two legislations.
Findings –The Political PartiesAct prohibits the government, ministries anddepartments from directly or
indirectlyfunding political parties. The Access to InformationAct to ensure information generated by Malawi
government ministries, departments and agencies is readily made available by the citizenswhen needed or
requested. The Access to Information Act does not exempt political parties from disclosing their funding
sources. The two acts work in tandemto promote accountability and transparency in political party funding
and sources.
Research limitations/implications –This study is limited to Malawi’sPolitical Parties and Access to
Information Acts.Only the South African related acts have informed the paper. However, severalacts within
developingcountries would have greatly aided the paper.
Practical implications –The implementation of the two pieces of legislation has implications for the
balance between disclosure and non-disclosure of political party funding. Oversight functions and credible
human resourcecapacity are needed in both political parties and government enforcementinstitutions.
Social implications –Oversight functions by the Administrator-General through the Registrar of
Political Parties and the Malawi Human Rights Commission are key to the implementation of Malawi’s
Political Parties and Access to InformationActs, respectively. Proper enforcement of the oversight functions
is expectedto resultin an open, transparent and accountable Malawian society.
Originality/value –Various players are needed in the accountabilitychain to protect disclosure and non-
disclosure of information. Very little information is known on the powers, functions and duties of office
bearers capable of enforcing legislationto keep political parties’funding clean. Little is known on how the
citizenscan access information regarding political partiesfunding.
Keywords Political party funding, Access to information, Oversight functions, Duty bearers,
Enforcing mechanisms, Malawi, Games, Gamification, Awareness of gamification,
Library user engagement
Paper type Literature review
GKMC
71,8/9
916
Received5 July 2021
Revised24 August 2021
Accepted24 August 2021
GlobalKnowledge, Memory and
Communication
Vol.71 No. 8/9, 2022
pp. 916-927
© Emerald Publishing Limited
2514-9342
DOI 10.1108/GKMC-07-2021-0115
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